National Research Council Canada. NRC Steacie Institute for Molecular Sciences

National Research Council Canada. Security and Disruptive Technologies

Format

Text

Type

Article

Journal title

Physical Review A

ISSN

1050-29471094-1622

Volume

57

Issue

4

Pages

2794–2801; # of pages: 8

Abstract

hen intense light interacts with a molecule it induces a force proportional to the gradient of the Stark shift. We use this nonresonant force to deflect I₂ and CS₂ molecules. We trace the direction of molecules in a molecular beam, showing that the molecules that pass near the center of a 1.06-μm or 10.6-μm laser beam will focus. We predict that Stark shifts on the order of 50 meV can be obtained for all small molecules and atoms while maintaining ionization rates below 10⁶s⁻¹. Among the devices that can be based on the nonresonant Stark shift are molecular accelerators and molecular quantum wires.